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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — all right
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. face — to confront
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. face — part of the head
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. suit — to fit
  15. kick — in football
  16. branch — a division
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. face — to point toward
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com